Winding device for a thin flexible material

ABSTRACT

A winding device for a strip of thin, flexible material comprises guide means adjustable to the width of the material and a reel whose width can be altered to accommodate the material being wound. The guide means comprises a fixed edge guiding member and a movable edge guiding member. The latter is mounted for movement relative to the fixed member either by the edges of the material per se, or manually in accordance with the width of the material to be wound. A spindle is provided on which a core having a fixed flange at one end is slideably mounted and keyed to the spindle for rotation therewith. Any one of several flanges can be releasably secured to the other end of the core to provide a distance between the flanges that is in accordance with the width of the material.

United States Patent 1 1 Reitter WINDING DEVICE 'FOR A THIN FLEXIBLE MATERIAL [75] Inventor: George M. Reitter, Rochester, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company,

Rochester, N.Y.

221 Filed: June 5,1972

[21] Appl. No.1 259,519

[52] user 242/67.1 R, 242/71.9, 242/76 51 1m. 01 B65h 75/00, B65h 27/00 58 1 Field of Search ..'.242/67.l R, 68.3, 71.8, 52 4521119272 8/1943 France 2427719 Feb. 26, 1974 1,213,187 10/1959 France 242/76 1,147,841 4/1963 Germany 242/71.8 A

Primary Examiner-John W. Huckert Assistant Examiner-Edward J. McCarthy 5? v ABSTRACT A winding device for a strip of thin, flexible material comprises guide means adjustable to the width of the material and a reel whose width can be altered to accommodate the material being wound. The guide means comprises a fixed edge guiding member and a movable edge guiding member. The latter is mounted for movement relative to the fixed member either by the edges of the material per se, or manually in accordance with the width of the material to be wound. A spindle isprovided on which a core having a fixed flange at one end is slideably mounted and keyed to the spindle for rotation therewith. Any one of several flanges can be releasably secured to the other end of the core to provide a distance between the flanges that is in accordance with the width of the material.

12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 1 WINDING DEVICE son A THIN FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a device for selectively winding on a receiving member any one of a plurality of different width strips of a thin, generally flexible material and, more particularly, to such a device for winding film of various widths upon being discharged from film processing apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In the processing of photographic film, it is common practice to splice rolls of films of the same width one to the other for providing a continuous length of film that is movable through suitable processing apparatus. Each such length of film usually comprises a relatively large number of rolls. Such a length of film will then be drawn into the apparatus and have spliced thereto at its trailing end still another length comprising another plurality of rolls of a different width. Heretofore, when such lengths of film were dispensed by the processing apparatus, it was necessary for the operator to make mechanical changes at the film take-up end so the proper size reel would be available for each length of film of different width. Each reel of different width of film is then cut into its respective lengths for further processing, such as making'prints of each frame by either a contact or enlargement process, cutting each length into individual frames. for mounting as a transparency, or, in the case of movie film, winding each length on a suitable reel.

Since the spliced lengths of film strips are not stored on ti take-up reels, only a single flange reel is needed to ...,.intain the convolutions tightly wound on the core. In the prior art, attempts have been made to provide a spindle assembly on which a selected one of a number of reels of different size can be mounted, thereby permitting film strips of different widths to be wound on a universal spindle. In most instances, such structures necessitate the use of mechanisms joined into or forming a part of the spindle assembly so as to locate the reel in proper relation to the film strip being wound. In the present invention, the reel has only one flange which is fixed in relation to one edge of the film strip. Consequently, a reel having any one ofa number of widths can be formed in a matter of seconds merely by replacement of a single flange.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide a device forwinding any one of a plurality of different width strips of a thin, generally flexible material onto a reel that can be easily altered in its width to accommodate a selected one of such different width strips.

It is another object ofthe invention to provide a reel structure such that one flange is maintained in a fixed position and another can be added which alters the spacing between the flanges-to accommodate the reel to a strip of material of a selected width.

It is another object of the invention to provide a winding device in which an adjustable guide directs a strip of material of different widths to a receiving member on a rotatable spindle.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a guide means for directing a strip of material to a receiving member in which only the edges of the strip are engaged and one edge guiding means can be moved relative to the other by the edge of the strip of material being wound.

Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art by-the description which follows.

The above objects and advantages of the invention are attained by a winding device for a strip of thin, flexible material comprising guide means adjustable to the width of the material and a reel whose width can be altered to accommodate the material being wound. The guide means comprises a fixed edge guiding member and a movable edge guiding member. The latter is mounted for movement relative to the fixed member either by the edges of the material per se, or manually in accordance with the width of the material to be wound. The guide means is pivotally mounted relative to a discharge slot in the apparatus and provides a path which directs the material to the core of a reel on which the material is to be wound. A spindle is provided on which a core having a fixed flange at one end is slideably mounted and keyed to the spindle for rotation therewith. Any one of several flanges can be releasably secured to the other end of the core to provide a distance between the flanges that is in accordance with the width of the material. In addition, the core can releasably support any one of a number of sleeves having a flange fixed thereto, whereby the width of the material to be wound can be wider than the axial length of the core. With such awinding device, the guide means and the reel can be easily altered to accommodate the device to the winding of materials of a number of different widths; For example, 8, 16, or 35mm photographic film can be wound on a core and between flanges that are arranged relative to the same spindle. However, the thin, flexible material is not to be considered as being limited to photographic film.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings where like characters and numerals designate like parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing the relationship of a film strip guide means to the reel on which a film strip is to be wound aswell as to a discharge slot in film handling or processing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the film strip guide means shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view showing one embodiment in which the guide members are pivotally mounted and movable relative to one another and th discharge slot; I

' FIG. 4 is a front elevational view as viewed from line 4-4 in FIG. 2 and showing'another embodiment in which the guide members are pivotally mounted and movable relative to one another and the discharge slot;

FIG. 5 is a partial vertical sectional view showing one reel structure for accommodating strips of material of different widths;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG; 5 and showing another embodiment of reel structure;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view with respect to FIG. 5 showing, particularly, the manner in which one flange is located relative to the receiving member or core; and

FIG. 8 isa perspective view showing means for retaining the removable flange member disclosed in FIG.

is arranged between the wall 11 and 6 in an operative position relative to the core and spindle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With particular reference to FIG. I, a film strip F is discharged through a slot 10 in the wall 11 of apparatus in which the strip is being processed or handled. On emerging from slot 10, the film F is directed to a receiving member 12 by means of a guiding device 13 that I the receiving member 12. The receiving member 12 is mounted on and rotatable with a spindle 14, as will be described hereinafter, and serves to withdraw the strip F from the apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 2, the strip F can be of various di mensions in width and the guide means 13 must, therefore, be adjustable to accommodate to any one of the various widths. For this purpose, the guide means 13 comprises primarily two guide members and 21. The first guide member 20 is fixed in a traverse direction relative to the movement of the strip F. The second guide member 21 is mounted so as to be movable relative to the first guide member 20, thereby accommodating a strip of any width within well defined limits. The members 20 and 21 are generally arcuate in cross-section, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, so that only the edges of strip F are engaged by these members. As a result, upon movement of the strip F in a longitudinal direction, there is no abrasive action developed relative to either surface of the strip. This is most essential in the processing of a strip of photosensitive or photographic material.

A bearing member 23 is formed integral with a plate 24 that is suitably mounted on wall 11. Member 23 carries a pin 25 that extends horizontally across the line of movement of the strip F. The end 22 of member 20 is-fixed in a suitable manner to the bracket 26 that is pivotally mounted on pin 25 so as to permit member 20 to pivot about pin 25 in a vertical plane. Such pivotal movement is necessary to accommodate for the build-up of convolutions of the strip on the receiving member 12 as the winding proceeds.

The guide member 21 is mounted on a bracket 30 which. in turn, is also slideably and pivotally mounted on pin 25. With reference to FIG. 2, each of members 20 and 21 has fixed thereto adjacent its free end a bracket 31, 32, respectively, which are interconnected by a pin 33 carried by bracket 31 and along which bracket 32 can move. The bracket 32 is normally biased toward bracket 31 by a spring 34. In this arrangement, the bracket 26 isfixed relative to bracket 23 as to lateral movement, thereby fixing the position of guide member 21. On the other hand, member 21 can move along pins 25 and 33 with the force exerted thereagainst by the leading end of a strip emerging from slot 10. The fabrication of these parts can be of materials providing relatively little weight in order that the total mass to be moved by the strip F is at a minimum. This can be accomplished with a bias derived from spring 34 that is sufficient to move the parts without causingv the film strip to bow. With such a structure, only the edges of the film will contact the guide members 20 and 21.

In the embodiment of the guide means 13 described hereinabove, the member 21 is moved transverse to the direction of movement of the strip F by the strip per-se. However, the bracket 31 can be made to be movable along rod 33 and maintained in a position relative to guide member 20 that corresponds to the width of the strip to be wound. This is accomplished by means ofa spring-biased pin 37 as shown in FIG. 1. In this arrangement, see FIG. 4, a bracket 38 which carrier member 21 will be slideably mounted for movement along pin 25. With movement of bracket 38 along pin 25, bracket 32 will also be moved along pin 33, thereby maintaining members 20 and 21 in generally parallel relation and spaced from one another in accordance with the width of the strip to be wound. This relationship will be maintained by pin 37 when in engagement with one of the holes 39 in plate 24. The holes 39 are spaced to provide the necessary spacing of guide members 20, 21 for a number of different widths of film strips. In this case, the guide members 20 and 21 will also be pivotable about the pin 25 in order to accommodate for the increase in convolutions of the strip on the receiving means 12.

With reference to FIG. 5, spindle 14 is shown as being mounted relative to a wall 40 that is to be perpendicular to wall 11 and can be a part of the processing or strip handling apparatus 10. A bearing block 41 is mounted on wall 40 by means of screws 42 and carries a pair of spaced bearings 43 for rotatably mounting spindle 14. A pulley 44 is secured to the end of spindle 14 that extends beyond wall 40, as shown in.

FIG. 5. The pulley 44 is secured to spindle 14 by a pin 45, or other suitable means,.so thatwith rotation of pulley 44, such rotation is imparted to spindle 14. An additional bearing member 46 is maintained between the flange portion 47 of spindle l4 and the pulley 44 to maintain bearings 43 in position relative to the bearing block 41. Spindle 14 extends beyond flange portion 47 and is provided with a square portion 48 for receiving and driving a core member 49. A locking member 50 is pivotally mounted on the end of portion 48 and serves to retain the reel on which the strip is being wound in an operating relation on spindle 14.

The core member 49 is cylindrical in shape andhas a square bearing aperture which corresponds with that of the portion 48 of spindle 14. The planar surfaces 53 of core member 49 has a plate 54 fixed thereto by screws 55 and such plate forms a fixed flange in conjunction with the core member 49. In one embodiment in which a particular width of strip material can be wound on core member 49, the width of the strip determines the axial length of the core member. In this embodiment the face 56 of the core member is provided with axially extending protuberances 57 which are coplanar with the peripheral surface of the core member. Correspondingly spaced and located apertures 58 in a plate 59 engage the protuberances 57 and plate 59 then forms the other flange of a reel. The'plate 59 is merely aligned with the locking member 50, when the latter is in an axially extended position, and is then moved axially into engagement with the protuberances 57 after which the locking member 50 is moved into a position, as shown infull lines in FIG. 5. Thus, the plate or flange 59 is maintained in a spaced relation with respect to the fixed flange 54. a

The same core member 49 can be utilized to accommodate strips of different and narrower widths by forming a recess60 in a plate 61. The recess is provided with apertures in accordance with the size and location of the protuberances 57 and has a diameter such that it will be received by the peripheral surface of the core member 49. The width of the strip that can be wound on core 49 and in the space between fixed flange 54 and plate or flange 61 will then be determined or established by the depth of the recess. in this way, each of a number of plates can be provided with a recess, each being ofa different depth, thereby utilizing a core of one size for a large number of strips of different widths.

With reference to FlG. 6; an embodiment is disclosed in which the core member 49 can be utilized to wind or receive strips of widths greater than the axial length of the core member. in this arrangement, a sleeve or second core member 70 is provided with a central aperture 71, which corresponds in size to the diameter of core member 49. The length of sleeve 70 is such as to establish between a plate or flange 72, which is fixed to the planar surface 73 of sleeve 70, the required space between the fixed flange 54 and flange 72 for winding and receiving the strip of material. in this embodiment, the other planar face 74 of sleeve 70 abuts the facing surface of fixed flange 54. In order to maintain the sleeve in this position, the flange 72 carries a pivotally mounted member 76 which engages a notch 77 in the locking member 50 on spindle 14. In this way, no lateral shifting of one flange relative to the other can take place.

in the embodiments disclosed and described hereinabove for the narrow width strips of material, a single flange can be used to provide a reel having any desired spacing between the flanges to accommodate a particular or selected strip of material/Normally, the strip that is wound on the core member 49 is removed from the spindle together with the core member 49 and the fixed flange 54. The flange 59 is first removed and can be utilized with another core member 49 providing a strip of the same'width is to be next wound on the core member. in the embodiment disclosed in FIG. 6, however, the core member 49 and the fixed flange 54 remain on spindle 14 and the strip that is wound on sleeve 70 is removed with the sleeve and theflange 72 intact. The structure disclosed herein, therefore, permits a large number-of reel sizes to be utilized witha minimum number of parts and replacements. Also, irrespective of the width of the strip that is to be wound; the flange 54 is always in a fixed positionso there is no need for any complex locking arrangements to be incorporated in conjunction with the spindle 14. Since the flange 54 is fixed in position, the guide member can also be retained in a fixed position-"and requires only movement of the member 21 to accommodate any width of film strip.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood.that'variations and modifications'can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A device for selectively winding on a receiving member any one of a plurality of different width strips of a thin, generally flexible material withdrawable through a discharge slot in apparatus for handling said material, the combination comprising:

a spindle rotatably mouri'ied in spaced relation to said discharge slot;

means releasably mounted on said spindle and rotate able therewith for receiving the selected one of said strips of material thereon;

means operatively coupled to said receiving means for forming in conjunction therewith a pair of flanges spaced from each other inaccordance with the width of the selected one of said strips for retaining the strip on said receiving means;

means operatively connected to said spindle for rotating the latter so as to withdraw the strip of material through said slot and to wind the same on said receiving means;-and

means arranged between said discharge slot and said spindle and expandable in a direction transverse to the movement of said strip of material for engaging the edges thereof and for directing and guiding the same to said receiving means.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises a core member and one of said flanges is fixed to one end of said core member and the other releasably engages the other end of said core member.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said core member is provided at the other end therof with a plurality of axially extending protuberances arranged relative to the peripheral surface thereof and said other flange is provided with corresponding apertures for releasably receiving said protuberances, whereby the length of said core member establishes the space between said flanges.

4. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said other flange is provided with a central recess for engaging the peripheral surface of said core member at the other end and a pluralityof apertures arranged within said recess for releasably receiving said protuberances, whereby the depth of said recess establishes the space between said flanges. I

5. A device in accordance with claim 4 including means arranged on said spindle for engaging said other flange for retaining the same in an operating relationship with said core member.

6. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises a first core member releasably engaging. said spindle for rotation therewith and a second core member releasably-engaging the peripheral surface of said first core member and on the peripheral surface of which thestrip of material is wound, one of said flanges being fixed to one end of said first core member and the other of said flanges being fixed to an end of said second core member, whereby the other end of said second core member abuts said one flange and the length of said second core member establishes the space between said flanges.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6 including means associated with said spindle and said otherflange for retaining said second core member in an operating relationship with said one flange.

8. A device in accordancewith claim 1 wherein said and away from said first member.

for positioning and maintaining the same in a relation to said first member that is in accordance with the width of the strip of material being wound on said receiving member;

12. A device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said first and second members are arcuate in cross-section and engage only a respective edge of the strip of mate rial being wound. 

1. A device for selectively winding on a receiving member any one of a plurality of different width strips of a thin, generally flexible material withdrawable through a discharge slot in apparatus for handling said material, the combination comprising: a spindle rotatably mounted in spaced relation to said discharge slot; means releasably mounted on said spindle and rotatable therewith for receiving the selected one of said strips of material thereon; means operatively coupled to said receiving means for forming in conjunction therewith a pair of flanges spaced from each other in accordance with the width of the selected one of said strips for retaining the strip on said receiving means; means operatively connected to said spindle for rotating the latter so as to withdraw the strip of material through said slot and to wind the same on said receiving means; and means arranged between said discharge slot and said spindle and expandable in a direction transverse to the movement of said strip of material for engaging the edges thereof and for directing and guiding the same to said receiving means.
 2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises a core member and one of said flanges is fixed to one end of said core member and the other releasably engages the other end of said core member.
 3. A device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said core member is provided at the other end therof with a plurality of axially extending protuberances arranged relative to the peripheral surface thereof and said other flange is provided with corresponding apertures for releasably receiving said protuberances, whereby the length of said core member establishes the space between said flanges.
 4. A device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said other flange is provided with a central recess for engaging the peripheral surface of said core member at the other end and a plurality of apertures arranged within said recess for releasably receiving said protuberances, whereby the depth of said recess establishes the space between said flanges.
 5. A device in accordance with claim 4 including means arranged on said spindle for engaging said other flange for retaining the same in an operating relationship with said core member.
 6. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said receiving means comprises a first core member releasably engaging said spindle for rotation therewith and a second core member releasably engaging the peripheral surface of said first core member and on the peripheral surface of which the strip of material is wound, one of said flanges being fixed to one end of said first core member and the other of said flanges being fixed to an end of said second core member, whereby the other end of said second core member abuts said one flange and the length of said second core member establishes the space between said flanges.
 7. A device in accordance with claim 6 including means associated with said spindle and said other flange for retaining said second core member in an operating relationship with said one flange.
 8. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said engaging means comprises a first member pivotally mounted at one end thereof adjacent said slot for movement in a plane, generally parallel to that of said flanges as the convolutions of said material increase on said receiving means, a second member pivotally mounted at one end thereof adjacent said slot for movement in said plane with said first member and for movement independently thereof in a direction toward and away from said first member.
 9. A device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said first member comprises means for slideably supporting said second member for said independent movement.
 10. A device in accordance with claim 9 wherein said second member is normally spring biased in one direction toward said first member and movable in the other direction by the edge of the strip being wound into a position relative to said first member.
 11. A device in accordance with claim 8 including means operatively associated with said second member for positioning and maintaining the same in a relation to said first member that is in accordance with the width of the strip of material being wound on said receiving member.
 12. A device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said first and second members are arcuate in cross-section and engage only a respective edge of the strip of material being wound. 